Mysore/Mysuru: In a recent development, the Neurologists at Apollo BGS Hospital, Mysuru, successfully treated a 95-year-old Brain Stroke patient through Mechanical Thrombectomy.

The lady, who was healthy and functionally independent, suffered from sudden onset of weakness in the right side of the body and difficulty in speech. As an early witness to the course of events, the patient’s son realised that his mother may have had a stroke and brought her immediately to Apollo BGS Hospital.

Once in the hospital, the emergency stroke code was activated. Emergency brain scans revealed blockage of the main artery that supplies blood to the left side of the brain. Doctors at Apollo BGS Hospital counselled the attenders regarding the need to open up the vessel immediately to prevent permanent damage to the brain.

The scan also revealed that the patient had suffered a silent, undetected stroke a few days ago, preventing the doctors from giving an intravenous injection to dissolve the clot.

She underwent Mechanical Thrombectomy in which the clot within the blood vessel                                                            was removed through a small hole in the groin artery. To the joy and relief of doctors and attenders, she became normal within a few hours of the procedure. She could communicate as before and walk independently in two days.

The treatment for ischaemic stroke (blockage of a blood vessel) is limited by time — up to 4.5 hours in cases where the clot can be dissolved using intravenous medicine (tissue plasminogen activator – rTPA) or up to 6 hours in cases where the clot can be manually extracted out through endovascular route.

Mechanical Thrombectomy is indicated explicitly in stroke due to blockage of larger vessels. The damage to the brain is irreversible, and chances of recovery are high if the treatment is initiated early and blood supply to the brain is restored. Procedures with good outcomes are possible when expertise and technological advancements meet under a single roof.

Dr. Vinay Hegde, Neuro-interventional Radiologist, Apollo BGS Hospital, said, “In elderly, Mechanical Thrombectomy procedure may be complicated due to tortuous nature of vessels and other comorbidities. Recent guidelines have been expanded to include elderly patients (above 80 years) to make them disability-free. This is the oldest patient treated at Apollo BGS Hospital, Mysuru.”

Dr. Aumir Moin, Senior Consultant Neurologist, said “Time is brain, is suitable for all ages.  IV Thrombolysis and Mechanical Thrombectomy have good results in older adults also. In this case, the credit goes to the patient attender for taking a quick decision despite her advanced age; Because quality of life matters, especially in older adults.”

Free ambulance service

Apollo BGS Hospital has introduced free ambulance service in and around Mysuru to benefit people in case of medical emergencies like heart attacks. A stroke attack too calls for immediate medical attention, says N. G. Bharateesha Reddy, Vice-President & Unit Head, Apollo BGS Hospitals, Mysuru.